Bonus abuse?

[chop-choi]

The terms and conditions of every site have some sort of prohibition against bonus abuse, but the never bother to define what actually constitutes bonus abuse. How am I to refrain from abusing the bonus if I don't even know what abuse is? Betting on black and red, pass and don't pass, or player and banker are obvious examples, but is it limited to just these types of wagers? For example, would it be bonus abuse if I bet the table minimum at blackjack until I met the wagering requirement, and then cashed out?

Also, how do casinos typically handle bonus abuse? Most reserve the right to withhold the bonus in the event of abuse, but do they actually go that far? I've also heard of a bonus abuser blacklist. How widely is it spread, what sort of things can get a player listed, and what are the consequences of being listed?

[Casinomeister]

The terms and conditions of every site have some sort of prohibition against bonus abuse, but the never bother to define what actually constitutes bonus abuse. How am I to refrain from abusing the bonus if I don't even know what abuse is? Betting on black and red, pass and don't pass, or player and banker are obvious examples, but is it limited to just these types of wagers? For example, would it be bonus abuse if I bet the table minimum at blackjack until I met the wagering requirement, and then cashed out?

Also, how do casinos typically handle bonus abuse? Most reserve the right to withhold the bonus in the event of abuse, but do they actually go that far? I've also heard of a bonus abuser blacklist. How widely is it spread, what sort of things can get a player listed, and what are the consequences of being listed?

Good questions here, and the answers vary from casino to casino. The best thing to do would be to email the casino manager and have them define what they consider abuse, and how do they handle what they consider abuse. But most players won't do this; they will make the deposit - play the bonus and go.

Most well established casinos (well established meaning they have decent managerial skills) will look at each bonus issue on a case by case basis. Some will accept the fact that players will play the bonus to the "T" (as in cashing out the moment they meet the wagering requirements), and if the player does this - fine and dandy they have a happy player, hopefully the player will return and lose . If the player keeps returning using bonuses and playing to the "T", sometimes the operators will just stop offering the player bonuses. In most cases though, when these players come back, they will lose a deposit or two. No one wins all of the time, including yours truly

But then some operators have different philosophies, management skills, ethics, etc. Sometimes operators will see player action they do not like and yank the bonus, and lock the player's account. In all fairness the player should receive the deposit back. Side note: this is why you should make your deposits through Neteller. They have policies concerning this to protect the player. This is where a number of operators ran into problems with getting rogued etc. They were keeping the deposits. But the whistle was blown, and it doesn't happen anymore in the mainstream casinos. Again, protect yourself and use Neteller.

Other operators have discouraged bonus play by delaying payments of winnings - sometimes by months (the Chance Group). This is not hearsay but what I was told by one of their operators in a face to face meeting a little over a year ago. They don't want bonus players.

Blacklists? They are out there and spread as far as they would be if owners are absorbing more casinos as they grow, or when managers move from one group to another. It's a small world out and you would be surprised how much information has been spread around and shared.